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Implementing a microprocessor boot configuration prom within an FPGA

a microprocessor and configuration prom technology, applied in the field of boot configuration proms, can solve the problems of difficult field management of such proms, and achieve the effect of saving real estate and easy reconfiguration

Active Publication Date: 2007-09-06
RPX CORP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The methods and apparatus of the present invention allow straightforward reconfiguration of a boot configuration. A boot configuration and bootstrap interface are stored as a software image which can be loaded into a housekeeper processor. The software image can then be used to send a bitstream to an FPGA, instructing the FPGA how to construct an emulation of the bootstrap interface and how to store the boot configuration. Different or new versions of the boot configuration, such as upgrade versions or diagnostic versions, can be loaded into the housekeeper processor, and the boot configuration stored in the FPGA can then be easily reconfigured. The use of an FPGA rather than a dedicated PROM and socket may also save real estate on the card on which the microprocessor is located.

Problems solved by technology

Field management of such PROMs is extremely difficult, as the reprogramming stations are usually at a central location.

Method used

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  • Implementing a microprocessor boot configuration prom within an FPGA

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Embodiment Construction

[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, a chip arrangement according to one embodiment of the invention is shown. A microprocessor 10 is located on a circuit board 12, such as a card in a telecommunication device. The board 12 also includes a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) 14. The FPGA includes an emulation of an I2C PROM 15. The I2C PROM emulation 15 includes an emulation of an I2C interface 18, logic carried out by a boot PROM, and boot configuration data 16. It should be noted that these are functional elements and may not necessarily be distinct elements, the I2C PROM being emulated as a whole. The microprocessor 10 includes an I2C interface (not shown) which communicates over two pins 20. The two pins 20 are the pins through which the microprocessor 10 retrieves a boot configuration when the microprocessor is booted. The two pins 20 lead to the I2C interface 18 on the FPGA 14. In this way, the microprocessor 10 retrieves its boot configuration from the boot configuration data 16 stor...

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PUM

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Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for storing the boot configuration PROM of a microprocessor in an FPGA. The boot interface of the microprocessor, such as an I2C interface, leads to the FPGA instead of to a PROM. The boot configuration is stored as an image in the FPGA, and the microprocessor accesses the boot configuration using its normal boot interface. In this way, a dedicated boot PROM is not needed, saving real estate on the card on which the microprocessor is located. The boot configuration is also more easily modified, such as for version upgrades or diagnostics, than if the boot configuration were stored on a dedicated PROM. Different boot configurations may be stored as software images on a separate housekeeper processor, for loading into the FPGA.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to boot configuration of microprocessors, and more particularly to the manner in which the boot configuration data is stored and accessed. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] When a microprocessor boots, it accesses a boot configuration in order to retrieve configuration values. This is done through a boot interface on the microprocessor. One of the most common boot interfaces is an I2C interface. For a microprocessor supporting an I2C interface, the boot interface accesses two pins leading from the microprocessor. The microprocessor may support other interfaces, in which a different number of dedicated pins are used, or in which a bus and address are used. [0003] Typically, the boot configuration is stored in a PROM, and the two pins through which the I2C interface communicates lead to the PROM. The PROM is a dedicated device within a socket on the same board (or card) as the microprocessor. If the boot configuration is to be recon...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G06F15/177
CPCG06F9/4401
Inventor GRIEVE, RICHARDMACDONALD, AARON MAXWELLSCHRIEL, JAMES MICHAEL
Owner RPX CORP
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